Happiness Slipping Through His Fingers
by Feygan
Summary: The world is mutable and even a lasting love can escape the grasp of memory.


Title: Happiness Slipping Through His Fingers

Author: Feygan

Fandom: Happily N'Ever After

Pairing: Rick/Ella, Ella/Prince Charming

Disclaimer: I do not own Happily N'Ever After or its characters.

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Summary: The world is mutable and even a lasting love can escape the grasp of memory.

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_It surprised him how easily his hands spanned her waist. She was so tiny that sometimes he was afraid he would break her with his touch. She was his precious doll, his lily of the water._

_ "I've never been so happy in my entire life."_

_ He smiled down on her. "Me either. I kinda dreamed of us getting together, but a part of me never imagined we would make it here."_

_ She laughed and pressed her naked body closer against his. "We can imagine anything we want now. This is our happy ever after... and I know something that would make me incredibly happy right now."_

_ He shivered at the sound of the purr in her voice. "Ella..."_

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"Rick, his Highness is calling for you."

"No he's not," Rick sneered. "He's calling for the guy that washes his dishes, shines his shoes, serves his dinner, and basically does whatever he's ordered. His Brainlessness doesn't even know what my name is."

"Well, whatever your name is, he's calling for you right now. Something about a stain on his favorite tunic."

Rick sighed and pulled himself to his feet.

He didn't know what was wrong with him. He had never exactly been the most satisfied with his life, but lately there'd been this sense that things were not right in his world. He'd been moodier than usual and every word out of Charming's mouth made him want to throw up.

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_Thrusting into the melting warmth of her flesh, raining kisses against the moist curve of her neck. He felt more complete in this moment than ever in his life._

_ "Oh Rick!" she moaned, winding her arms around his shoulders, pulling him even closer. "Don't stop... don't stop... oh god... please don't stop."_

_ "Never, never, never," he grunted out._

_ She groaned, her whole body tightening, then suddenly her white little teeth were biting into his left shoulder, her sharp nails digging a furrow into his back._

_ The world whited out as he came in her in a spectacular rush._

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Prince Charming was posing before his closet mirror, pushing out his broad chest while sucking in his stomach.

"Ah, there you are... my good man," Charming said, obvious in the fact that he had forgotten Rick's name again. "I need you to get that disgusting stain out of my good tunic." He waved at the dark blue tunic he'd tossed on the floor.

"Yes Your Highness," Rick said, not even trying to keep the contempt out of his voice. Charming was so dumb he didn't even realize when he was being disrespected.

"Good," Charming said. "I need it for tonight. Ella and I are going to have a most romantic evening." He winked with a grin.

Rick's fist clenched in the fabric of the tunic he'd bent to pick up. He could feel his face filling with hot blood and he wanted more than anything to plunge a dagger into the heart of that pompous ass.

"Oh you are, are you," Rick barely pushed the words passed his gritted teeth.

"Yes, the book says that it's time for me and my perfect princess to produce a perfect heir."

Rick's knees shook with sudden weakness and he felt his stomach sink. "An heir?"

Charming hummed a little. "I don't much like babies, but it has to be done. Just think, though, with my awesome heroism and Ella's beauty... it will be the best baby in the world. We're really going to have to start planning the christening soon. We don't want any evil fairies popping up to make things all dreadful with their black magic and flaming wands. You know."

"Yeah." Bile burned in the back of Rick's throat, but he fought it down long enough to gather up the rest of Charming's dirty laundry and make his escape. He could collapse in misery later where no one could see his humiliation.

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_ He traced his hands over the swell of her belly and felt his mind fill up with wonder. He had done this, made this whole new life that was growing inside of her._

_ She was lying on the couch in their comfortable little cottage with him kneeling on the floor beside her, stroking her bare flesh with his oil covered hands, massaging away any aches and pains she had ever even thought of having._

_ "You're so beautiful," she said suddenly, stroking a lazy hand through his dark hair._

_ He laughed. "That's what I was thinking about you. And look at this," he pressed a kiss against her stomach, "we made this. Together."_

_ "We're gonna be so happy," she said._

_ "And no one's ever gonna take this away from us."_

_ "No one."_

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Sometimes he really felt as though the world had fallen out of synch and things weren't going quite the way they were supposed to, and today was definitely one of those days.

Guests were gathering at the castle for Prince Charming's big announcement. It made Rick want to vomit.

His hands trembled so badly he had to clench them into fists at his sides. His stomach rolled with sickness and he wanted more than anything to miss this day completely, and maybe the rest of his life.

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_Lily was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen in his life and he wasn't a bit shy about saying so._

_ Ella laughed at his gushing words, her green eyes shining with happiness. "She's red, wrinkled, and bald as an egg!"_

_ "The most beautiful baby in the world!" he shouted, then clapped a hand over his mouth when Lily made a surprised squeaking noise._

_ "You're a ridiculous man, but I love you anyway. Now come give me a kiss, then take Lily and lay her down for her first nap. She must be so exhausted... being born really takes it out of you."_

_ He pressed exuberant kisses against her forehead, her cheeks, then her lips. "She's the most beautiful baby, but you're the most beautiful woman. I love you forever."_

_ "Silly man. I love you too."_

_ He beamed at her like an idiot, his heart swelling in his chest with pure happiness._

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The massed crowd of people cheered at the prince's announcement. Charming posed before them like a god, his hands raised and his blond hair gleaming under the light like spun gold. He was so handsome that plenty of people were willing to forgive his massive case of stupidity.

Standing to one side of the throne, Rick found his eyes turning to study Ella's face where she sat on her smaller throne.

She had been so radiant on her wedding day, her smile so wide it had almost made up for the unhappiness in his heart that she was marrying another man. But the happiness hadn't lasted long past the wedding, had started fading away by the next week and never come back.

He had told her over and over again that Prince Charming wasn't as wonderful and great as she thought, but she had refused to believe him. Now she knew better, but it was too late.

His eyes drifted down to the swell of her belly where the next heir to the kingdom grew within her. It made him want to pound his fists against the castle walls and howl in anguish that another man had touched her delicate flesh, had made sweet love to her.

He knew he shouldn't feel so betrayed at the thought of her with Prince Charming. She had never been his, no matter what he had dared to dream. She had always been meant for better things than he could ever offer.

His eyes rose and he was surprised to see her staring straight at him.

He offered her a weak smile, but her lips didn't even twitch.

Her green eyes looked like old bruises in her beautiful face. She blinked, and for a moment he thought he saw a sheen of tears in her eyes, but that must just have been a trick of the light.

What reason would Ella ever have to be unhappy? Sure, her marriage to Prince Charming wasn't the greatest thing ever, but she was about to be a mother. She was the crown princess. Her life was one of luxury with no evil Stepmother or ugly stepsisters to work her like a slave.

Ella had found her Happily Ever After and he would just have to be glad for her, no matter how much it hurt to breathe.

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==THE END==


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